Saturday, September 28, 2013

Honey Mama's Gluten-Free Pumpkin Carrot Cake

Pumpkin puree leftovers from my pumpkin spice coffee creamer had to be transformed into something tasty. Coming off the heels of some delicious pumpkin bread a couple weeks ago I wanted something other than a quick bread, but wanted to make something sweet.

I went to work concocting a Pumpkin-Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. I used my mom’s famous carrot cake as a guide, it includes both grated carrots and pureed carrots, and is the moistest cake I have ever had. I made this cake with gluten-free flours and oats. The finished product resulted in a moist, delicious cake. A cake that left my husband asking “Is this really gluten-free?”. Two enthusiastic thumbs up from all four of us.

Prepare springform pan: cut 1 round piece of parchment paper, line the bottom of the pan. Use cooking spray or coconut oil around the sides of the pan. If you do not have a spring form pan, a standard cake pan will do. The springform pan makes it easier to handle the cake and ensures it sticks together nicely when you remove it from the pan.

Add additional ingredients to the batter, mix on low, until combined. Be careful not to over mix.

Pour cake batter into prepared spring form pan. Spread evenly.

Place pan on cookie sheet and place in oven.

While cake is baking: combine frosting ingredients in a bowl, begin mixing on low and increase mixer speed until it reaches high. Continue mixing until frosting is light and airy. Cover and refrigerate until cake is cool.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Do the toothpick test before removing from the oven.

Pop cake out of spring form pan and place on a rack to cool, leaving the bottom portion of the pan in tact.